New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-08
THE IRE1STRY REPORT.

That part of Secretary Fairchild's annual re-
port which relates TO the tariff. unfortunately.
is the part to which public attention Will he
almost exclusively directed. But in treating
other topics the report Is more abe. moro
sound and may prove more practically useful,
than i'm It's somewhat shallow and essentially
partisan discussion Of the tariff question. 1t
is a clear review Of the operations Of the De
part mcnt in many branches. presents body OF
valuable information. and offers numerous sug
gcStionS which merit Congressional attention.
The earnest advocacy Of administrative reform
ia the customs service should not be lightly
passed. Especially in regard to the currency.
the doctrines Of the Secretary are rs sound. and
most of his recommendations as mcrtonouS.
rs some of his practices have been vicious.
The Secretary seems TO miss the most direct
path to the protection Of the people against
depreciation Of either kind of currency. There
is no sound reason why the Treasury should
not be empowered and required always to gYc.
wherever it is practicable any kind Of money
that the people want III exchange for any other
kind that they held. Prejudice against such
measure, on the ground that IT would VIZ
tually provide redemption Of silver CONS IN
gold would not exist II people comprchcndcd
that the silver CONS and notes now pass cur
rent only as representatives Of gold for which.
IN certain limited uses only, they are exchange
| able. The review Of foreign commerce con
! tains nothing new, and the recommendation
| that free ships will recover for the country
paIt of the carving trade is only III line with
the Sccrctary's treatment Of the tariff question.
One other proposal VIII strike the country
with surprise. namely that the large surplus
now held by the Treasury should be permitted
! to remain permanently III banks when IT has
! been or may be deposited. Certain II II that
the Republican party viii not sanction SO re
markablc IA Capitalization of power, nor Is the
country likely TO look with favor upon propo-
sition TO get back into the dangerous condition
which preceded the panic of 1891.
Mr.. rarchild takes even less pains than the
| President to sugar-cOat the fIcc-tfadc pil, As
one may infer from the quotation 81 two sent
cnccs which cmbOdy his only definite pro
rosals Add 10 the free list rs many articles
as possible Reduce duties upon every duti-
able article 10 the lowest point possible" Not
many politicians in this country have ever
ycnturcd to propose such sweeping changes.
and the practical force Of the two sentences Is
not modified by the added phrase " In aSccr-
tanning these possibilities the present situation
| Of labor and business must always be kept IN
mind" For Mr.. Fairchid proceeds to reason
! that capital and labor are not entitled TO any
| continuance Of protection on the ground That
| the long maintained policy of the Government
| has given either any clam upon the public.
and urges that no one can suppose that the
! labor in protected industries should be there
| fore defended in the enjoyment Of wages higher
| than the general level Of wages, or capital III
! the enjoyment Of profits above the average.
! The mistaken beliefs and the bitter preJudlccs
! of the Free Trader are in these phrases. and
| lrc meant to limit and govern any Application
| q the naked Gfcc-tradc theory. The protected
manufacturer has been rObblng the public,
! Mr.. Fairchild evidently feels, and the pro-
! lcctcd laborcr has been robbng also. Through
| ont ne assumes as the President does, that
products of protected industries are enhanced
in cost by the full amount Of the duty, and
| that duties which successfully develop pro-
duction in this country do not and cannot re-
turn 10 the people lasting benefits in the per
mancnt chcapncss Of products Every Pro-
tcctionist, and every Free Trader who Is IN
| any sense a competent student Of the subject,
| knows that tins assumption is lOhg-aodhuohcu
relic of the economic dark ages.
How duties are to be cut down las iai as
| possible without hurting anybody, the occrc-
lary does not attempt TO explain. lie thihkS
that great reductions could be made Dul at
present rcfrains from eniightcnlng Congress as
| To them One is tempted 10 suspect that he Is
scarcely more competent to deal with the qucS-
| lion mn. al icalIv than The President has shown
himself; scarcely more competent indccd.
than Democratic majortics in the House have
shown themselves. TO the preJudlccs
and the false theories of the Free
Trader he and they bring no chilling and
Gripping acquaintance with facts Nor does
| the official statement of revenue and cXpcndi-
tufe sustain the Presidents views, any more
| than the official account of currency in circula-
ton supports his idea that withdrawal of money